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WALKING THE NARROW ROAD

 

Matthew 7:13-14   ¹³ Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

¹⁴ Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

The straight gate here is referring to walking the spirit filled righteous life that pleases God. Just being saves is only the first step that refers to that narrow gate.

Every contrite heart desire to be among the few, however the requirements are greater than most people are willing to accept.

The word contrite means deeply affected with grief and sorrow for having done wrong, or showing and resulting from remorse or feelings of guilt.

These two gates represent every person’s choice to either follow Jesus, which is the narrow gate, or follow the broad gate which is the way of the world, this gate leads to destruction.

There are many who go in by the wide gate, because without the Holy Spirit the narrow gate is difficult to follow. The narrow gate is the way which leads to life with the Father and Jesus, but there are few that find it.

Proverbs 13:20   ²⁰ He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Every Christian should diligently search for the preacher who preaches the whole counsel of God.

Romans 8:8-9   ⁸ So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

⁹ But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

This is referring again to the believer attempting to live his Christian life by means other than faith in Christ and the cross. Since we are now a believer and no longer depending on the flesh, why do we still resort to things of the flesh?

As a believer we now have the privilege of being led and empowered by the Holy Spirit. He will do for us on the premise of our faith in the finished work of Christ Jesus.

Truly saved is, walking the narrow gait referred to in Matthew 7:13-14, which is following Christ.

Romans 7:6   ⁶ But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

Before we were born again into newness of life, we were living the flesh life with our own sinful passions. Now we have been delivered from sin and should serve in the newness of the spirit.

We must put to death the deed of our own flesh by walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. We are fooling ourselves if we think the habits and the desires of the flesh will die without a struggle, they will not.

Proverbs 2:6-7   ⁶ For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

⁷ He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

The Lord gives us wisdom to uses the knowledge of understanding to accomplish a sound mind if we walk upright in His word.

He guards our path by placing a hedge around us and gives His angels charge over us.

Proverbs 2:8-11   ⁸ He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

⁹ Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

¹⁰ When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

¹¹ Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

When wisdom and knowledge become a person’s way of life, wisdom that seeks God will deliver them from the temptation that leads to death.

We are the light of the world and should never get into the habit of walking in the path of darkness which leads to the wide gate.

Romans 8:38-39   ³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Paul stated, I am persuaded, or, convinced that the love of God extended to us is made possible solely by Christ and what he did for us at the cross. Once again this is Gods love for us, which never wavers, because we are in Christ Jesus.

In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us enough to give His life on the cross, this alone makes us conquerors.

John 12:35-36   ³⁵ Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

³⁶ While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.

This warning was clearly given that their day was nearly gone and eternal darkness was coming. Walk while you have the light lest darkness will come upon you. Now you have been given a choice.

You can choose to walk in light which is Christ Jesus, or stumble around in the darkness which is govern by Satan and his demonic cohorts, not knowing where you are going.

The majority of the world at present and since the beginning of time are living and walking in darkness, not realizing that a better way has been created for them through the blood and resurrection and the cross.

Since Jesus is the Light and while we still have access to this light, lets believe in the light so when the darkness tries to come upon our walk, we have all of heavens protection to stand with us against the darkness and evil.

We are children of God. we are the children of light. Make this light the focus of your life so you will be considered worthy of walking the narrow road.

Your soul, which is made up of your mind, will and emotion decide the road you will travel. Will it be the narrow road or the wide road that leads to perdition?  Eternal life waits at the end of both roads. One is to be in heaven with the savior the other is to be with Satan.

We are to walk in the newness of life through Christ Jesus and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, through faith in God’s word.

Romans 8:3-4   ³ For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

⁴ That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Under the law people had only their will power to fight against sin, which was not enough due to weakness of the flesh. If you have not accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, you have the same weakness of the flesh.

You can not live for God without the help of the Holy Spirit. With out the Savior the Holy Spirit can not help you fight against the flesh.

As Christians we never walk after the flesh, or walk in our own strength. We need the Holy Spirit to walk in righteousness.

Walk here is referring to how we live our life. Using our Faith in Jesus and the cross, understanding that all things come from God to us by means of the cross. Then and only then can we stay on the narrow road.

The Holy Spirit works within us helping us to stay on that narrow road that leads us to our eternal life in heaven.